Falling Stars
by NickeltheRed
Summary: A companion story to Twin Stars. The night before the final battle shall take place, Alec and Jane privately dwell on their past together and what may become of their future. What would one of them ever do with the other gone away? Mostly based on the last film.


**Rights clearly go to Stephanie Meyer and the script writers, and so on.**

**Possible slight spoilers for BD:2, for those who may not have seen it yet.**

* * *

"Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother."

–William Shakespeare, _The Comedy of Errors_

* * *

The Volturi elders had already retired back down to the room of archives, levels beneath the entryway in order to strategize a plan against the assembly of Cullen allies.

Meanwhile, heading up the palace stairs at that very late hour, Alec located his sister in the shadows of her own chambers with the intentions of passing on the latest news which she missed.

She was sitting upon her red velvet cushioned stool, gazing steadily into her vast gold-plated looking glass, slowly combing her hair gathered over her shoulder. She wore a long, black elegant nightdress with transparent sleeves that slit at the elbows.

Before Alec even managed to utter a single word to her, Jane instantly sensed his presence radiate forth from her doorframe, and quietly she assumed, "About this immortal child on trial...Aro expects war, doesn't he?"

A mild smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Are you frightened, Sister?"

"Do not toy with me, Brother. Not now."

Evidently she was not in the mood to be mocked by him—and rarely was she in the mood initially. Nonetheless, Alec wasn't about to test her patience. Besides, the tone she used with him presently snagged his attention. It was a tone Jane had utterly refused to voice in public. In fact, he could almost say it sounded melancholy.

"Do you doubt Aro's judgment?" he asked, in attempt to figure out why.

A pause fell upon their wavering conversation.

But, a simple _no_ was Jane's eventual answer. She hadn't even bothered to feel insulted by this bold inquiry. "Of course, not."

In result, Alec advanced towards his twin in a grey flash, coaxing her to release the comb and stand to face him afterwards. "What is this, then? This tantrum is strange for you."

Jane picked up on the hint of worry lingering in his words as she lifted her chin, meeting his ruby eyes that resembled hers so greatly. "I have never been taught to fight."

When hearing the truth, Alec realized what was stressing her. And he knew he couldn't disagree; his sister had never been trained in physical combat. (At least, he had learned a trick or two from Felix on the down low.) Then again, based on her talent, it wasn't exactly necessary for Jane to do so. "I am positive your power will still be sufficient. This time will no exception for it. Leave the fight to the fellow guards. Surely Aro wouldn't want you harmed in any case. He wouldn't want to be short of a mighty weapon as yourself."

He wouldn't want to be short of his sister either. Ideally, if Alec had any superior say in the matter whatsoever, Jane wouldn't be leaving Italy for this round. If _he_ was in full charge, no matter how proud she was really, she'd still be kept tucked neatly away in his front pocket. Inside a safe place where even Aro would have to beg to reach her. It wasn't as if Alec had not been grateful towards his master for the endless riches this life could offer them. Although on a few subtle occasions, Alec also couldn't help but to feel that Aro failed to recall Jane had belonged to him first for many years prior.

"And if I cannot remain in one place for that long?" she emphasized, drawing him back into the circumstance at hand.

"I will make certain you stay standing by the end of tomorrow, Sister dearest. I'll clear your surroundings."

Alec obviously had less faith in a likely defeat on their part. He trusted Aro's numbers and extending glory would prevail.

"Don't promise such a foolish thing. While you invest all your energy into protecting me, you only place yourself into a vulnerable position right in the midst of battle." She honestly could barely bring herself to confess this, let alone think of the worst. Close-range attack was not their strong suit. Already she could detect the disadvantage. "If you die...then I'll lose all focus...and I'll die too. I may not be damned Alice Cullen, but I can tell are _our_ chances of surviving are rather slim."

She and her brother had been forever inseparable since the night they were ripped from their mother's mortal womb. There was no doubt her loyalty to Aro's reign was sturdy. However for all this time, an inkling deep beneath her visual unsentimental exterior, continued to remind her that the connection she held with her brother, went far beyond the Volturi, beyond flesh and blood. Strictly speaking, they only had each other left of their family line. What would one of them ever do with the other gone away? How could one survive without their own reflection? It'd be a living nightmare with no wakening. Literly. And neither of them had taken the time, nor gained the interest in searching out young beloved companions to call their own. Because merely having the other near was enough for both of them. There wasn't ever any added room willingly made for a third or a fourth, within their personal little circle of old memories and dark enchantments.

As much as Jane _despised_ this hidden fact, Alec was her one and only real weakness. Aro came in second.

It had been a life perfectly built for two. If they weren't as careful as they had been thus far, they'd undoubtedly lose their selves in one another, lose complete prospect of individualism altogether.

And _that_—was precisely what terrified Jane out of her mind.

"Then...I shall wait for you as always," Alec whispered soon after, gently gripping the length of her arms. "And we shall enter Hell's Gates together, not one before the other."

So once the appointed moment had finally arrived—as each Cullen couple shared apprehensive glances with one another—and while the Volturi coven members lined up in their proper order across the icy plane—no one would ever thought of catching the discreet, and almost unnoticed rotating of heads coming from the twins, to grant the other one last silent look as well.

* * *

**Quite frankly, I prefer the film portrayal of the twins over the Meyer's actual text for some reason. **

**I always wondered, in the very end, what would be stronger, Chelsea's power or the twins' natural bond? And yes, perhaps I went a little heavy, pushing against the boundaries a bit considering they are siblings. But the way I view it (1) it's only fiction, I mean no real harm, and (2) when one has a blood and supernatural connection with another for countless of centuries on end, the question of mental limitation and level of dependence is bound to be expected. **


End file.
